Improvement in fences



UNITED STATES PATENI QrFIcE MICHAEL KELLY, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENC-ES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 74,379., dated February ll, 1868.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MIOHAEL KELLY, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, having invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do hereby declare the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to imparting to fences of wire a character approximating to that of a thorn-hedge. I prefer to designate the fence so produced as a thornylfence.

I will first describe what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention, and will afterward designate the points which I be lieve to be new therein.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of my fence complete. Fig. 2 is a form of wire which may be used, if preferred. Fig. 3-is a cross-section of the base of the fence. Fig. 4. is a cross-section of a modification. Fig. 5 is an edge view of one of the thorns before being fixed or secured in place on the wire. Fig. 6 is a face view of the same. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the same thorn after being flattened, together with the wire to aflix or secure it in place on the wire. Fig. 8 is a corresponding face View showing the thorn and the wire in the flattened condition.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A represents the earth, and aaridge formed of stone, earth, turf, or other material,which, in addition to increasing the tightness of the fence at the bottom, forms an important function, as in all wire fences, by aiding and indicating to animals the locality of the fence, and thus avoid their unconsciously running against it. In cases where it is not convenient to raise a ridge in this manner, a ditch may be dug, as indicated by b in Fig. 4, which will aid to perform the latter function.

0 indicates one of the posts of the fences, which may be made of hard wood or any other suitable material, and planted in the earth in the ordinary manner.

. D D, 8m, are wires, preferably of galvanized iron. I prefer No. 15; but a larger or smaller wire may be used with effect. These wires are stretched from post to post, and se cured thereon by any of the ordinary means. They would form in the absence of the thorns l a wire fence of the ordinary approved construction, but with the wires somewhatlighter than usual.

BB, 820., are small pieces of iron or'steel, by preference hard irontinned. They are cut from aplate by machinery, or are otherwise produced cheaply andin large quantities, and

are each provided with a hole, e, corresponding to the size of the wire, but a little larger, so that they may be introduced easily upon the wire, either by proper machinery or byhand. These pieces, after being strung on the wire at distances about six inches apart, are compressed laterally upon the wire by a blow of a hammer or otherwise, so as to flatten the hole 0, and also correspondingly flatten the wire at the point where this adjunct is to stand. I term these pieces thorns, and it in their place; or they may be put on loosely,

and they may be distributed and secured af ter the fence is erected. I prefer the former arrangement. to increase the strength of the wire, lay another wire of the same or a different size alongside of a thorn-wire, and can twist the two together by any suitable mechanism. This construction is represented in Fig. 2. It tends to insure a regularity in the distribu tion of the points in many different directions.

I propose in some instances to attach to the posts 0, in addition to the thorn-wires, a rope of twisted hay or other suitable cheap material, saturated with tar or analogous material, as indicated by G in Fig. 1. Such ropes are well known, and may be cheaply and roughly made by farmers and others re quiring to use them, and they may be secured in any convenient manner upon the fence. The wires and thorns being quite small and not easy to be seen by cattle, especially in the night, the tarred rope performs an important function in aiding the sense of sight I can, where it is desirable and of smell in detecting the presence of the I fence.

My fence may be used with fewer posts than the ordinary wire fences, partly because of the reduced weight and reduced action of the wind thereon, due to the smallness of the wire, and partly because of the effect of the thorn in preventing animals from pressing against it.

I can by this invention make an efficient fence from unconnected wires six inches apart,

' fixing the artificial thorns on the wires four inches apart. This fence takes only onefourth as much wire as in ordinary wire fences; yet it is more efficient. This fence will weigh about oneeighth (t) as much as ordinary connected wire fence,by which I mean those woven or twisted together. It can be wound on a reel like telegraph-wire, and a farmer can transport'as much in a single wagon-load as will serve to build fences for a large farm.

It will be observed that the drawings of the fence complete show the thorns larger in proportion than they are intended to be in prac tice. This could not well be avoided in the drawings. I may remark that I propose in all ordinary cases to make the thorns about five-eighths of an inch in the entire length from point to point; but this may be varied, as required in different cases. 7

Some of the advantages of my invention may be secured by simply stringing the thorns on cords of hemp or other analogous material,

holding them in place by twisting two or more cords together. Such thorny cords may be used in connection with my large rope G, where wire is not available, or for camp uses and the like, where the superior flexibility of wire will compensate for its inferiority in general points to the wires described.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: 1. The thorns E, produced by dies or otherwise, in the form substantially as represented, and adapted to be secured in place upon a wire by compression laterally both of the thorn and wire, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The thorns E and wire D, combined in the manner represented, and adapted for use in a fence, as hereinset forth.

3. The within-described fence, formed by the combination of the thorny parts D and E with suitable posts, G, and with the addition of the large rope G, adapted for joint operation as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL KELLY.

Vitnesses:

O. O. LIVINGS, XV. O. DEY. 

